Dark hallway

We are called to walk in the light as He is in the light, filled with His Holy Spirit. But as we journey, the light reveals dark hallways along the path. Curiosity and desire draw us to the dimly lit hallway, but it is off the path. What waits for us there? How do we avoid them? Pastor Jason shares a message from Proverbs 7:24-27.

Enjoy this message? Consider visiting Ravenna Church of the Nazarene where Pastor Jason is serving as the Senior Pastor. Have a prayer need? Want to share something with Pastor Jason? Send The Dirt Path Pastor a message. Linktree: https://linktr.ee/thedirtpathpastor

Help spread the gospel through this podcast by subscribing, leaving a review, and sharing this episode.

Transcript

Horror movies all have one moment that makes us shout, “Don’t go that way.” Some character travels down a dimly lit hallway, enters a dark room, or wanders into an area that looks like it is a prime place to encounter something bad. But every time, the character is too curious, too assured of safety because of the weapon they carry, or think they have mastered the ”Judy chop” to a point that no harm could befall them. The scene always ends with them facing a leprechaun, a monster, a critter, or some murderous villain ending that character’s time in the movie.

     We poke at these characters and scenes, but we do the same thing. Journeying on the path in God’s light, we encounter dark hallways off to the side. They tempt us to wander from God’s path featuring a desire or need that we think will be met in the darkness. But all too often we only find sin. It meets our need or desire, even though we know it is outside God’s will. Before we know it, we find ourselves trapped in habits and addictions that keep us ensnared in the darkness.

     Proverbs 7:24-27(CSB)

Now, son, listen to me, and pay attention to the words from my mouth. Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways; don’t stray onto her paths. For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless. Her house is the road to Sheol, descending to the chambers of death.

This is the Word of God.

For the people of God.

Thanks be to God.

     Chapter 7 of Proverbs is a teacher giving advice to young men about avoiding a dark hallway. The teacher describes the dangers of crossing paths with an adulteress. A woman seeking pleasure while her husband is not home, and a young man who walks into her trap.

     This may not be necessary, but I will give this disclaimer anyway. The teacher is not generalizing all women. Both genders are capable of the tactics described. He is instructing young men in this passage, so as a good teacher, he is addressing a dark hallway that would be a temptation to young men.

     Skipping to verse 24, the teacher is ready to make his point. He is imploring the young men to guard their hearts. Wisdom would be their protection as they journeyed on God’s path and encountered the dark hallways.

     Verses 25 through 27 are the wisdom-laced advice the teacher shares. “Don’t let your heart turn aside to her ways,” he says in verse 25. He is saying to not take the dark hallway. The young men must turn from God and His path to take it.

     Verse 26 says, “For she has brought many down to death; her victims are countless.” In other words, the teacher is warning the young men, “Don’t think you are stronger than those who have traveled this hallway before you.” Proverbs 5:5 says, “Her feet go down to death; her steps lead to death.” (CEB) The dark hallway that leads to the woman is littered with dead bodies. Reverend W.J. Deane in the Pulpit Commentary wrote, “The harlot marks her course with ruined souls, as a ruthless conqueror leaves a field of battle strewn with corpses.” The young men might think this leads to pleasure and feelings of love, but the outcome will be disaster.

     Both verses 26 and 27 highlight death as the outcome of choosing this dark hallway. The teacher is warning the young men, “Don’t give it a thought.” Jesus talked about this in Matthew 5:27-30. He warns his disciples (and us) to not even look at a woman lustfully. The sinful desire begins in the heart and creeps into the mind and then into life. These young men were being instructed to master their thoughts and desires so they would not wander down the dark hallways that lead to destruction.

     While sexual sin is at the heart of this passage, there is a broader application. Sexual immorality is certainly a sin, with pornography lurking in the dark hallway. However, the adulteress in this passage symbolizes more. She symbolizes anything that is not on God’s path.

     Dark hallways draw our attention because our hearts crave what is lurking in them. Our life is full of pain, but we see something in the dark hallway that offers us relief or numbness. We live being crushed by intense pressure; the dark hallway offers what seems to be aid. The problem is the dark hallway always leads away from Jesus into a trap of the enemy. Those things in the dark hallway only provide temporary results that must be chased again. And this is how the enemy keeps us trapped.

     Repentance is required to leave the dark hallway. If we want to escape addiction and sin, we must admit the dark hallway is not God’s way. But repentance is not only the way to leave the dark hallway, it is also the way to avoid the dark hallway.

     The word repentance is a word used often in the Church. But often we only focus on it when it comes to sin when is also a tool for overcoming temptation. Repentance is confession with a change of mind and a change of direction.

     When we make a confession, we are humbling ourselves to admit to breaking God’s law by going down the dark hallway and committing sin. We see the destruction it caused and admit to it being our choice. Now if we are only tempted to go down the dark hallway, confession takes on a different purpose. Temptation is not a sin, but giving into it is a sin. To overcome temptation, we confess the reason we want to go down the hallway. Seeing the corpses or having been that way before, we confess to knowing the destruction connected with the dark hallway. Our needs and desires might be things we really need, but our confession is recognizing the choice between wisdom and folly. Between God’s way or the dark hallway.

     Confession is us inviting God to help us change our minds and our direction. God can help us out of the dark hallway. We tremble at the thought of dishonoring God, and we tremble before God knowing the choice before us. Jesus loves us and wants to meet our needs and mold our desires to God’s desires. Through the Holy Spirit, God can lead us to meet those needs and fulfill those desires within His ways. He is good and has good things for us, but they are only on His path, not in the dark hallways.

     Some of us have gone down the dark hallway. Some of us may even be stuck there. We see the corpses and the carnage, so we feel hopeless. Jesus does not want to leave us stuck. He offers us forgiveness and grace if we are willing to confess.

     Some of us find ourselves on this path, but we have noticed a dark hallway. We know what is waiting in the darkness, but we cannot help but be tempted by what is there. We have been carrying so much pain, the pressure has been too much, and these needs desperately need to be met. Staring at the dark hallway, trembling and weighing the cost of going that way. Jesus offers you grace and is waiting for us to confess it all to Him.

     What is your dark hallway? The hallway is a trap that leads you away from Jesus. Jesus has a better way that leads to life. Seek Him and you will find it because He will lead you to it.